Heroes, Villains, Mutants, and Mayhem

If you were out and about in midtown this past weekend, you likely would have seen Darth Vader, Wolverine, Mr. Spock, or possibly the Joker heading toward the Jacob Javits Center. Odds are, if they weren’t gathering for an overpriced coffee shop, they were headed to New York Comic Con 2014.

Over 151,000 people attended the event in 2014, eclipsing the crowd that went to the San Diego event by about 21,000. The show floor was host to the latest and the greatest in the the world of sci-fi, comics, video games, movies, televisions, graphic novels, and, of course, comics. There were numerous panels, such as the one featuring The Walking Dead’s cast and producers as they discussed the upcoming fifth season. There were numerous celebrities on hand for autograph sessions, including, Patrick Stewart (the X-men films, Star Trek: The Next Generation), Gillian Anderson (The X-Files), the cast of Starz’s show Black Sails, Kevin Conroy (Batman: The Animated Series), Lucy Lawless (Xena: Warrior Princess), Ron Perlman (Hellboy), Aisha Tyler (Archer), William Shatner (Star Trek) and a whole lot more.

One was able to get the latest information from Marvel, DC Comics, and the Lord of the Rings among others. Looking for a rare comic book that is missing from your collection? Comic Con has a lot of those. I was tempted by a few old Amazing Spider-Man issues drawn by Todd McFarlane but my bank account told me to settle down.

If you were looking for quirky t-shirts One could buy amazing items from a variety of vendors such as Ex-boyfriendcollection.com, stylinonline.com, Electro Flash Media, Turtle Tee, and many more.

Over the years, one of the biggest attractions to Comic Con has become the costumes worn by the attendees. Most people might sport a Daredevil t-shirt or a Squirtle hoodie, but some fans decide that wearing their fandom on their sleeve is not good enough and opt to show up in very detailed costumes. Wander down the aisles of the convention and you will run into Harley Quinn, Deathstroke, Spider-Man, Daenerys Targaryen, the Power Rangers, Dr. Who, and a variety of vampires and Jedi. Most people will gladly pose for a photo if you ask politely.

Comic Con will return on October 8-11, 2015. If you have any interest in pop culture, definitely make a point to visit next year. Try to go at least two days because it is unlikely that you will see everything in one day. If you find out that you are very eager to go to any panel in particular or if there’s a celebrity whose autograph you want, arrive early to avoid disappointment. Bottom line is that you should set aside some time to attend Comic Con in 2015. In the mean time, think about which costume you will wear.